This Toxic Liquid Telescope from the 1850s Is Finally Useful

The video explores the concept of liquid mirror telescopes (LMTs), initially developed by Robert Wood. Unlike traditional telescopes, LMTs use a rotating pool of liquid mercury to form a parabolic mirror. Despite early challenges, such as environmental disturbances and limited directional focus, modern advancements have made LMTs a cost-effective option for astronomical observations. The video highlights historical experiments, the physics behind LMTs, and their modern applications, including the Large Zenith Telescope and the International Liquid Mirror Telescope.

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